Stages of Research

Research news

February 2025

Two female researchers smiling and observing a tube with liquid in a lab environment

Aligned with its strategic goals, Fighting Blindness is committed to supporting, nurturing, and promoting the next generation of female researchers. This year, we celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025 (February 11th) with a special series showcasing the work of some of our female-funded researchers at different stages of their careers. Check the special audio features to hear their stories and advice!

September 2024

Orange background with the HRCI, HRB and Fighting Blindness logos

November 2023

Prof. Campbell and the PhD student Kieva Byrne standing next to the Echo Revolution Microscope at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics in TCD.
Prof. Campbell and the PhD student Kieva Byrne with the Echo Revolution Microscope.

October 2023

researcher in a lab

Fighting Blindness is delighted to be an enterprise partner on three Irish Research Council Enterprise Partnership Scheme Awards. Two scholars are based at University College Dublin (UCD) and one scholar is based at South East Technological University (SETU).

September 2023

Cover image for the AMD webinar: Fighting Blindness logo is located on the top left corner of the image, and under it there is a banner where it's written 'Webinar on Age-related Macular Degeneration(AMD)'. Below the banner the information on the date, topics and speakers are listed: September 20, 2023. Speakers and Topics: Finbarr Roche, Mr. Tomás Burke, Sean Poland, Marta O’Connor, Kathryn Sinnott and Dr. Rachel Bermingham. They discuss the current clinical care for AMD, Sports and physical activities for people living with AMD, The counseling and support groups Fighting Blindness offers for people living with AMD, and the results of our AMD survey, followed by a Q&A session At the right bottom of the picture, there is another banner where it's written 'www.fightingblindness.ie', while at the middle right of the picture there is a picture with an old lady smiling and clapping hands with another woman.
Cover image for the AMD webinar

Watch/listen back to our free Research Webinar on Age-related Macular Degeneration that took place online on September 20, focusing on the current clinical care for AMD, the sports/ physical activities for people living with AMD, as well the counseling and support groups Fighting Blindness offers for people living with AMD.

August 2023

Image of two people on a blue background. On the left is Tomas Burke. On the right is Sean Poland.

After the success of our first research webinar of 2023, we are excited to announce our second free webinar, this time focusing on Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Click above to learn more and register for free.

The image shows a headshot of Dr. Joanne O'Dwyer on a blue background with designs including the double DNA helix and a microscope. The photo includes the Fighting Blindness logo and the website link www.FightingBlindness.ie.

Following a competitive application process, we awarded an Emerging Researcher Award in 2022, to Dr Joanne O’Dwyer (NUI Galway) for her project ‘A novel formulation for removal of macular oedema.’ The award amount was €10,000. We spoke to Dr. O’Dwyer and you can listen to our podcast with her by clicking in the above article.

Extreme macro close-up of a blue eye wearing glasses, reflecting glowing computer code across the lens.

Professor Breandan Kennedy is a vision loss researcher based at University College Dublin (UCD). Fighting Blindness has funded projects led by Prof Kennedy in the past number of years. One of the areas that Prof Kennedy works in is zebrafish and how they can be used to study inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). Above we outline why zebrafish are used in research, this information is from a 2023 scientific review article that came out of a project led by Prof Kennedy in part funded by Fighting Blindness.

July 2023

There is a central image of a phone on an blue background, with a podcast page on screen. There are two photos of Fighting Blindness Research Managers, Dr. Ellen Moran Dr. Rachel Bermingham in the centre of the phone image. At the bottom left there is the Fighting Blindness logo. In the background there is a visual of an audio track running.
Fighting Blindness Research Managers Dr. Ellen Moran and Dr. Rachel Bermingham, taking part in the Blind Guys Chat Podcast.

Our Research Managers Dr. Ellen Moran (Clinical Projects and Events) and Dr. Rachel Bermingham (Academic Projects and Impact) were delighted to recently take part in the Blind Guys Chat (ep. 74).

Cover image for the PPI webinar: Fighting Blindness logo is located on the top left corner of the image, and under it there is a banner where it's written 'Online webinar'. Below the banner the information on the date, topics and speakers are listed: June 28, 2023, Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) and the V.I.P. Network. DR. Rachel Bermingham, Fighting Blindness, Research and clinical updates on Inherited Retinal Diseases (IRDs) and AMD. Ben Shaberman, Foundation fighting blindness. At the left bottom of the picture, there is another banner where it's written 'www.fightingblindness.ie', while at the middle right of the picture there is a DNA double helix animation.
The webinar cover image

Watch/listen back our free Research webinar that took place online on June 28

Orange background with the HRCI, HRB and Fighting Blindness logos

All proposals for Fighting Blindness must address our research priorities outlined in the article above. We no longer accept submissions for this call.

June 2023

A luminous, crystalline double helix DNA strand floating in a dark cosmic space surrounded by glittering stars and small glass-like shards.

A new collaborative study conducted by our funded researchers found a gene variant enriched in Irish Stargardt disease patients, helping both doctors and geneticists give a more accurate diagnosis, and thus offering better access to the correct therapy needed in each case.

The image shows all the V.I.P. Coffee morning participants in a group photo at the Fighting Blindness offices.
Group photo of the V.I.P. coffee morning participants

Our first ever in-person V.I.P Network Coffee Morning took place on Wednesday, 7th June in the Fighting Blindness office in Dublin city centre. Click to learn more about the feedback our participants gave us; audio testimonial included!

March 2023

Naomi Chadderton TCD
Image: Dr. Naomi Chadderton, TCD

We spoke to Dr. Naomi Chadderton, Trinity College Dublin, about her latest research and how your support helps us to invest in research. Click the article above and find the video available on YouTube!

February 2023

Headshot of our Science Communications Executive, Konstantina Karagkiozeli MSc.
Image: Our Science Communications Executive, Konstantina Karagkiozeli MSc.

Our Science Communications Executive, Konstantina Karagkiozeli MSc, talked to Irish Pharmacy News recently.

A banner with a close up image of a woman on the right, the image is focused on her eye. There is text on the banner: RIWC24, 22nd Retina International World Congress, The Dublin Royal Convention Centre, Dublin, Ireland. 5 – 8 June, 2024. www.FightingBlindness.ie. There are two logos on the bottom of the banner: Bottom left is Fighting Blindness, Cure, Support, Empower logo and bottom centre is the Retina International logo.
Image: The logo of the RIWC24, 22nd Retina International World Congress

Fighting Blindness is delighted to announce that we will be hosting the Retina International World Congress (RIWC24) in Dublin, from June 5-8, 2024.

January 2023

Image of Dr Sophia Millington-Ward
Image: Dr Sophia Millington-Ward, Trinity College Dublin

Professor Matt Campbell and Dr Sophia Millington-Ward, Trinity College Dublin, speak about their research and the role that Fighting Blindness has played in helping them to advance their work.

Close up to a woman's eyes
Image: A close-up image of a woman’s eyes.

The study shows how the ophNdi1 gene therapy can boost the function of the retinal ganglion cells, the cells dysfunctional in diseases such as glaucoma.

An image of SETU ORBITAL members. There are 6 people standing facing the camera.
Image: the SETU ORBITAL members.

Three members of our partner team ORBITAL are embarking a new project to develop novel eye drop formulations in the hope of developing a treatment for Dry Eye Disease.

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